Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, led a high-level delegation to the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), using the international platform to reaffirm his government’s commitment to youth empowerment and inclusive governance. Dr. Sengeh told conference participants that the country’s development strategy goes beyond traditional management practices to intentionally unlock the potential of every citizen, with a focus on young people.
Dr. Sengeh described the concept, which is similar to President Julius Maada Bio’s 2023 United Nations General Assembly call for “radical inclusion,” as a practical commitment to invest in every human being so they can reach their full potential. “Radical inclusion means investing in every human being so they can reach their full potential,” he said, noting that Sierra Leone’s government is intentionally youth-oriented, with young people holding roughly 30% of leadership positions, leading major institutions and driving innovation across multiple sectors.
Dr. Sengeh highlighted concrete examples of young Sierra Leoneans contributing to national development, ranging from technology entrepreneurship to advances in agricultural practices, arguing that these accomplishments demonstrate the importance of targeted human capital investment. He went on to say that empowering young people is central to President Bio’s overall agenda and is necessary for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. According to the Chief Minister, this strategy positions Africa as a new frontier for global innovation, with youth leadership at the centre of the continent’s transformation.
